The present invention(s) relates to apparatus and methods for mixing certain substances, particularly substances usable for repairing or grafting bone.
Bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute materials are used in many applications within the orthopedic and/or other medical fields, such as to cause fusion of adjacent bone parts to repair a fracture, to fuse a joint(s) and alleviate pain at the joint(s), or more securely attach an implant or other device to bone. Indeed, such bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute materials have numerous indications within the orthopedic field, which rely on the ability of the material to induce natural bone growth at the repair site (e.g., for regenerating and/or forming additional bone at the site). As an example, a bone-graft substitute currently offered by Orthovita, Inc., the assignee of the present application, comprises, in some cases, β-TCP (i.e., beta tri-calcium phosphate), collagen, and/or bioactive glass. The bone-graft substitute, which is referred to as Vitoss® (manufactured by Orthovita, Inc., Malvern, Pa.) in the industry, has been shown to have superior bone affinity and growth properties, and is used in various different contexts, such as a bone-void filler for voids or gaps in trauma applications.
In the case of bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute material, it is also sometimes preferable to mix such material with other compositions so that the maximum effect is achieved. The other components of the mixture may be a liquid, such as bone marrow aspirate, blood, saline, and/or water. In the case of Vitoss®, when mixed with bone marrow, such bone-graft substitute has proven a clinically effective autograft replacement. Thus, Vitoss® is able to replicate natural bone taken directly from the patient. In any case, prior to application of certain bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute materials, a surgeon, nurse, or other skilled operator (hereinafter “the user”) might be required to mix the various components of the material so that, once applied to bone, the material induces the most-efficient bone formation.
While numerous mixing devices have been created for mixing bone-graft or bone-graft-substitute components, most require too many steps or are ineffective in their application. Thus, there exists a need for an improved mixing system allowing for efficient mixing of the components of different bone-graft and bone-graft-substitute materials.